Roy Palmer is a coach, Alexander Technique teacher and author. This week I interviewed him about his unique approach to training for cricket.

We discuss how to improve performance by focusing on the fundamentals of movement and body awareness, something usually overlooked by coaches. The three books that we recommended during out chat were:

Widely considered to be the greatest one day batsman ever, Michael Bevan seemed to have two or three shots to every delivery. If he had stuck with the recognised wisdom he would not have been half as effective.

Nowadays he is not alone. Twenty20 is breeding batsmen and bowlers who are doing things that the authors of the MCC coaching book would baulk at.

So is it time to throw out the copy book and just play with natural flair and freedom?

Debate still rages about fitness training for cricket.

Many former pros still wonder why current player hit the gym. There argument (in many cases a sound one) is that there is little crossover to the pitch.

As we know, it all depends what you do in the gym. Cricketers are not bodybuilders and need to train for the specific demands of the game for both injury prevention and improving performance.

On the one hand, you would love to get one at almost any point in your spell, but how many bowlers plot to do it?

Most of us consider it a stroke of luck, perhaps a once in a lifetime thing.

Yet we all know proper planning and preparation is the way to success so why not plan how you are going to knock down three in three?

When I was a boy I would do anything to get out of eating those dreaded vegetables on the plate at dinner time.

They were green and often overcooked. The very thought of putting slimy spinach near my mouth was enough to turn my stomach. I'd try every trick in the book from hiding the peas under the leftover mashed potato to pleading stomach cramps.

With the cricket season starting, I thought I'd just make a couple of remarks regarding selections, performance and attitudes during the first few weeks of the season.

This is addressed to those players who have worked solidly through the off season and preseason periods. Players who have made significant changes to their games and players who are approaching the start of the season proper with optimism and positivity.

The Cricket Show reviews the epic coaching book by Bob Woolmer and Tim Noakes.

In this episode Kevin and I also answer your questions on goal setting and nutrition for energy on the cricket pitch. We also discuss the fine art of boot buying.

Imagine it's the morning of your biggest game of the season. What do you do to focus your mind on the task at hand?

Whether you bat or bowl, we all feel better when we are in control and are able to predict what is going to happen. You can't do that about the game, but you can do it about your preparation right up until the start of the match.

Description: Players from two slip cordons around 10m from the coach (c). The coach then hits alternately to each group with either a pull or cut shot. Players return the ball after catching it to make it easy for the coach to hit.

Variation: To make this easier for the coach a Fusion Skyer or 2 Katchets can be used instead.

I got access to one of the best sport strength and conditioning sites in the world. It's a members only site that contains the expertise of some of the finest strength coaches out there.

As it only cost me a dollar, I'm prepared to reveal all the secrets that lie behind the username and password box to you for nothing.